"It's Time for Hip Hop in NYC" Free Concerts During NYC Homecoming Week

DMC will host the outer borough "It's Time for Hip Hop in NYC" concerts

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his NYC Homecoming Week team today announced the performers at the free concerts in the outer boroughs from August 16 to 20. Ralph McDaniels, the DMC of pioneer rap group Run-DMC, will host the four "It's Time for Hip Hop in NYC" concerts. The schedule is as follows.

The Bronx: the first concert will be at Orchard Beach on Monday, August 16th from 3:00 to 9:30 p.m. KRS One, Slick Rick and Remy Ma will headline. Also performing will be Busy Bee, CL Smooth, DJ Hollywood, DJ Jazzy Joyce, DJ Kevie Kev, the Fantastic Five, the Furious 5 featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio, Grand Wizard Theodore, Joeski Love, Kid Capri, Nice & Smooth, PopMaster Fabel, Soul Sonic Force, T La Rock, and the Ultra Magnetic MC’s.

Staten Island: the second concert will be at Richmond County Bank Park on Tuesday, August 17, from 4:00 to 9:30 p.m. Raekwon  and Ghostface Killah will be the headliners. Also performing will be Crystal Waters, DJ Chuck Chillout, EPMD, the Force MDs, Hakim Green, HeeSun Lee, Kool Keith, Lizzy Ashliegh, Pharoahe Monch, Rikki, and Rob Base.

Brooklyn: the third concert will be at the Brooklyn Army Terminal on Thursday, August 19, from 4:00 to 9:30 p.m. Big Daddy Kane and Desiigner will be the headliners. Also performing will be C&C Music Factory, DJ Mr. Cee, Elle Varner, Judy Torres, Lizzy Ashliegh. Maino, Obasi Jackson, Papoose, PopMaster Fabel, Special Ed, Stetsasonic, Sweet Sensation, and Young Devyn.

Queens: the fourth concert will be at Forest Hills Stadium on Friday, August 20, from 4:00 to 9:30 p.m. George Clinton + The P-Funk All Stars and Too $hort will be the headliners. Also performing will be DJ Hurricane, DJ Wiz, EPMD, Mobb Deep, and Yo-Yo.

Manhattan: the fifth concert, which will be in the Great Lawn of Central Park, will be on Saturday, August 21. The performers were announced  on July 27. Details can be found here.

All attendees must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” concerts. Reasonable accommodation will be provided for persons unable to get vaccinated because of a disability.

Free tickets for all four concerts will be released to the public in batches at nyc.gov/HomecomingWeek starting on Monday, August 2 at 10 a.m. EDT. Additional free ticket release dates and times are as follows.

• Tuesday, August 3 at 7 a.m. EDT
• Wednesday, August 4 at 9 p.m. EDT
• Thursday, August 5 at 7 a.m. EDT
• Friday, August 6 at 10 a.m. EDT
• Saturday, August 7 at 9 p.m. EDT

New York City, the Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM), and the IDEKO live event production agency have teamed with Behind The Rhyme, a channel on Twitch devoted to hip hop and its culture, to livestream the events in The Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens. The broadcasts, produced by Fortress Entertainment and Fuzzy Bunny Films, will feature live performances as well as backstage content and interviews hosted by journalist Shaheem Reid. Fans can watch, chat and share custom emotes at twitch.tv/behindtherhyme.

The concerts will include live graffiti and temporary art installations produced with Thrive Collective. The nonprofit agency will be curating a roster of New York City street artists that will create live, temporary art installations during the concerts.

De Blasio made the announcement today with UHHM Executive Director and President Rocky Bucano, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie.

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The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music developments as they happen. All photographs are by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise. For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music." For a listing of upcoming concerts for live audiences, visit The Manhattan Beat's July and August 2021 calendars.